Seven Naxals killed, two cops hurt in Bastar gunfight

Bhopal: At least seven suspected Maoists were on Saturday gunned down in an encounter with security forces near the forested village of Berrempara under Aranpur police limits in Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar district of Dantewada. Two policemen were also injured in the incident. Five bodies have so far been recovered.

“Search operation by security forces is still on at the encounter site. So far bodies of five Naxals have been recovered along with a huge cache of arms and ammunitions and explosives including one AK 47 and one Insas assault rifles at the encounter site,” Dantewada district additional superintendent of police (ASP) G.N. Baghel told this newspaper on phone. “We expect the casualty among the Naxals to rise,” he added.

Recovery of AK 47 and Insas assault rifles indicated that the slain Maoists may include commander ranking rebels, he added.

Two sub-inspectors, D. Patra and Sangram Singh, were also injured in the incident. They were evacuated from the encounter site and admitted in the district hospital at Dantewada.

The encounter took place when a joint search party comprising district reserve force (DRG) and special task force (STF) was ambushed by armed guerrillas in Berrempara jungle leading to a fierce gun battle between them.

Reinforcement has been rushed to the spot to back up the search party, Mr Baghel said. Details were still awaited, he added.